Loader



` June 24 1924.,

H. H. vBRBER LOD'E R Filed Jan. 6.

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Emme 24, E924@ H. H. BARBER LOADER l Filled dan. 6-

1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Hei 24,1924.

" E f T A vE S HARRY HJ. BARBER, or AURORA, ILLINOIS,

LOADERu Application med January e, 1921. serial No. 435,480.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that 1.HARRY H. BARBER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Aurora, in the county ofKane and the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Loaders, of which the following lis a specification,reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to a power-driven loaderof the endless belt typeand its purpose is to provide a machine of this character especiallyadapted to handle snow for expeditiously cleaning city streets. Itconsists ofA the features and elements hereinf in the drawings aftervdescribed and shown as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a 'loaderI embodyingthis invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken through the conveyor and itsframe as indicated at line, 2 2, on Figure 1, but not including. thevehicle frame.

Figure 3 is a detail plan view of the loader with a specially designedscoop or plow associated therewith, the view being taken as indicated atline, 3 3, on'Figure 1.

receiving end of the Figure Lvl is a detail plan view of cer' tainadjusting g devices being taken as indica'ted at llne,

4 4, on Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the upperl and' discharge end of theconveyor showing the adjustable wing for directing discharge. v

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken as indicated at the line, 6 6, onFigure 5.

Figure 7 is a horizontal plan view of the lower end of the conveyorshowing the receiving scoop associated therewith. 1

Figure 8 is a medial section of the parts of the conveyor and of thescoop, shownV in Figure 7, being indicated at line, 8 8, on Figure 7 lFigure 9 is a detail section taken as indica-ted at line, 9 9, on Figure8 to show the contour of the scoop.

Figure 10 is a partial side elevation showing a take-up for the drivechain.

The endless belt which constitutes the conveyor element of this loaderis carried upon an upper drum, 1, and lower drum, 2, journaled inopposite ends of the inclined frame, 3, which may be fabricated in alAssIGNoR 'ro BARBER-G come :1. n: or AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION orILLINOIs o vsuitable sprocket lthe accumulation o ,ofsnow or ice uponthe drums, 1 and 2, would result in wasteful slippage of the belt wardalong well understood manner from suitable members suchv as plates andangles forming lateral trusses and the necessary cross connectionsbetween them to provide a fairly rigid mounting for the belt and itscarrying drums. The load supporting portions, 4, of the belt may consistof any suitable fabric or rubber, or combination of the two such as is'commonly vand this belting, 4, is attached at its lateral margins tosteel chains, 5, which travel over wheels associated with the drums, 1and 2, at'their ends. This is of particular importance when the conveyoris used for handling snow or sleet because even a small amount thereonif friction were depended upon for the drive. The belt,4, is attachedtothe chains, 5, by suitable clips, 6, disposed at intervals along thechains and also' by means of flights, 7, of angular cross-section whichused for this purpose are attached at their ends to the chains, 5,

by means of the same type of clips, 6, and to which the belt is rivetedlor bolted at intervals in its width as indicated in Figure 3. Theflights of course serve to retain the load of snow or other materialpicked up by the belt as-itiis carried up the incline to the dischar eend where the belt passes over the pul ey or drum, 1. The load is alsoretained and con.- lined upon the belt by means of side boards, 8,supported on the frame, 3, and preferably overhanging the chains, 5, asshown in Figure 2.

any suitable vehicle which, however, is preferably ofthe crawler tractortype indicated 9 at 9, in Figure 1 and surmounted by a rectangular framefrom whose upper horizontal beams, 10, the conveyor frame is suspendedby links, 11, pivoted to the beams by trun nions, 12, and to the frame,3, by trunnions, 13. Any suitable motor, which may be an internalcombustion engine such as that indicated at 14, is carried on thevehicle and connected by reduction gearing to the drive belt or chain,15, runningjupon the drive sprocket,y 15a, which is fixed on one end ofthe shaft, 15b, of the drum or pulley, 1. y

At the lower or receiving end the conveyor frame is'provided with aduplex plow and scoop the bottom of which is iformed by a but the bottomblade, 16, is` considerably wider and its /laterallyextending portionscontinue upwardly past the space, 17 and alongside the belt, 4, inwarped wings, 18, which converge toward the belt so as to directmaterial thereonas it is forced up along said wings by furtheraccumulations ot material gathered upon the blade, 16, as the vehicle,9, advances. Y

The wings, 18, are supplemented in their gathering action by blades,18,v extending upward Irom the lateral margins-0f the bottom blade, 16,and also projecting forward from the ends of its lower edge so as toplow their way into a pile of snow or other material as the vehicleadvances, and thus to define the width of the clearing to be made by themachine. The upper edges of 7the wings, 18, and the supplemental wingsor plow-shares, 18a, are bent over at 18", curving inwardly toward eachother, somewhat in the manner of a plow mold board so that when thematerial piles h-igh in the scoop, it will be thrown over toward themiddle ot the scoop and onto the belt instead of spilling over the upperedges of For city street cleanin durin or after a snowstorm,`snow willrequeiit y be moved from the middle of the street. toward the curbs byother plows 'and then picked up by a loading machine of this type andiscliarged into motor trucks for hauling away; 'p

to protectthe supplemental wings, 18, as they work beside the curbs theymay/be reinforced by spaced parallel walls, 18, extending from theground to a limited height beside the wings, 18a, and-secured thereto atthe margins as seen in Figure 7.

As the crawler, 9, travels forward, its progress is resisted by the'material encountered by the scoop and the driving torce for moving thescoop into the material is transmitted directly1`4 from the crawler,`9,to the conveyory frame, 3, by a pair of thrust beams, 19, pivoted attheir rear ends to brackets, 20, on the frame which surmounts thecrawler,l 9, and with their forward ends pivotally attached to the axle,21` of the drum, 2. -To assist the blade, 16, of the scoop in riding theroad surface, it is re-enforced at its laterally extending portionsbeyond the opening, 17, by approximately horizontal plates, 22, formingshoes extending bers, 27 i tlie wings.

rearwardly from the edge of the blade, as.

seen in Figures 1 and 8. Between the shoes, 22, and below the opening,17, a curved plate, 23, forms a boot to retain the materialtemporarily'lodged in the 0pening,'17'. Side plates, 24, suitablyflanged and connected to the shoes, 22, serve to stili'en and supportthem. The blade, 16, itself is resent'orced by a transversely positionedangle member, 25. secured to its under surface and also by obliquebraces, 26, connecting the ends of the angle, 25, with members, 27.attached to the upper edges of the plates, 24. The wings, 18, may alsobe braced if desired by obliquely extending ariiis, 28, connected to themem- ',Ihe entire scoop consisting of the blade, 16, plow wings, 18 and18, and the shoes, 22, with. their side plates, 24, is pivotally mountedon the eiidsot the axle, 21, of the drum, 2. This permits adjusting thescoop up and down through a limited range to accommodate it tothe roadssurface or prevent it from being snagged uponv any small obstructiontherein without altering theangle of the main conveyor frame, 3. vSuchadjustment is effected by a hand wheel, 29, on ashaft, 30, journaled onthe extending ends of the trame members, 10, the shaftcarrying sprocket-wheels, 31, for endless chains,32, guided upon idler wheels, 33, andconnected with the rearwardly extending arms, 34, which are attachedrigidly to the side plates, 24, of the scoop assembly. The operatorstanding on the platform,`35, at the side of the vehicle frame is thusable to suddenly lift the blade and the scoop above its normal workingposition and to quickly readjust it as closeto the road surface as hisjudgment dictates. For moving the machine about when not in use, or forgetting itl into a convenient shelter, the conveyor frame, 3, may beswung to a more nearly horizontal `ositioii b v means of the hand wheel,36, operating the worm37, and gears, 38, on the shaft, 39, whose drums.40, are thus turned to wind the cables, 41. which are attached to theconveyor frame near its llower end as indicated at 42. Notwithstandingthe fixed length of the thrust beams, 19, such' 2, so that the lOO beexcessively extended and the material gathered by it. will be picked upb v the beit without the necessity oi orcing it up the incline any greatdistance. The use of the 5, as an integral part of the belt affords ameans of driving it without dan er of slippage, and when the loader isempoyed for handling snow, these chains may travel directly in theangles, 43, which form the longitudinal members of the conveyor frame,as indicated in Figure 2, the snow and ice acting as an adequatelubricant between the chains and the angle members to prevent excessivewear. Obvlously if the material handled were not of this nature, thechainscould be ,provided with idler wheels to support them in theconveyor frame.

s the snow-or other material is discharged over the upper pulley ordrum, 1, it will fall directly into the receptacle provided, which willordinarily be the body of a motor truck or wagon. Since it is not alwayseasy to back a truck or wagon under the end of the conveyor in aperfectly central position, the guard plates, 44, at this end lateralchains,

'are provided with hinged depending wings,

I 45, preferably connected by a link, 46, so as to converge Adownwardand normally hanging as shown in section in Figure 6, but operable bymeans of arock shaft, 47, to discharge the material at either; side ofthe cendischarge of material in windy weather, both tral position,A asindicated in dotted lines in said Figure 6, in which the truck body isalso shown in (otted lines at A. 'The depending wings, 5, also serve tocontrol the by shielding it from the wind and by deflecting it ifnecessary to vcounteract the effect of the wind striking it. below saidwings.

The machine is designed to be operated and controlled by one man'underordinary circumstances, though the loading of the material into thescoop may be assisted to some extent by oneor two shovelers. The crawlervehicle is controlled in its move# ments by two levers, one of which,indicated at 48, operates the forward driving clutch Vwhen moved in onedirection, or .connects the reverse drive when shifted to its otherlimit'. The lever, 49 is arranged to selectively. control brake vbandsfor retarding or arresting one or the other of the two crawlers so thatby virtue of a differential gearing connecting them, the one whichis noth eld will assume the drive and the vehicle will -travel in a curve. Allnecessary steering can be accomplished in this way as is wellunderstood.

Afthird lever, 50, may beunderstood as. operating any suitable form ofclutch for connecting or disconnecting the belt conveyor form, 35, andthe adjusting from the engine, 14. rlhus the vehicle and the conveyormay be `driven simultan ously or independently at will. The handle, 47,of the rock shaft, 47, extends within reach of the operator as he standsupon the platwheels, 29 and 36, are simultaneously accessible to himwhile he is operating the vehicle.

By reason of the oating suspension of sults in a longitudinal movementof the frame, causing the links, 11, to swing about their trunnions, 12.lSince the drive chain, 15, connects the wheel, 15, at the upper vend ofthe frame, 3, with a drive sprocket, 51, on the counter shaft, 52,lixedly journaled on the vehicle, the distance between these two centerswill be altered by adjustment of the lower end of the frame, 3. Atake-up wheel, 53, is therefore journaled at the end of a swinging arm,54, fulcrumed at its lower end on a plate, 55, of the vehicle frame. Alink` 56, is pivotally attached at one end to the arm, 54, at a pointintermediate its fulcrum and the wheel, 53 which it carries, and saidlink is connected for control to the conveyor frame, 3, by means of abracket, 57, attached to the plate, 58, of said frame,a cushion spring,5.9, being inserted between the bracket, 57, and the adjusting nut, 60,on the end of said link. The arm, 54, being connected to the'frame, 3,by the' link, 56, is lswung about its fulcrum as the frame oatsbackwards or forwards upon its supporting links, 11, and thus acts as alever vto multiply the` longitudinal movement of the frame, 3, so as toadd or subtract the requisite Yamount from the effective length bothVplies of the chain, 15, and keep it sufliciently ing ply of the chain,15, is further supported upon a fixed idler, 61, journaled on the beam,10, so as to prevent it from .encountering the upper edge of a truckbody when the latter is backed under. the dischar e end of the conveyor.

I diam:-

. 1. The combination of a vehicle and an endless belt conveyor carriedthereon extending from a point near the ground ahead of the vehicle toan elevated discharge point rearward of the vehicle frame with a framesupporting said conveyor belt formed to overhang a clearance space atthe rear of the vehicle high enough to admit a wagon or truck to receivethe dischargefrom the conveyor, a pair of depending lateral wingsattached to the conveyor frame and between which the material falls whendischarged from the conveyor; and means for inclinlng said wings at willto direct the discharge.

' 2. In'the combination defined in claim 1,

llt)

a pair of depending lateral wings hinged to Wheel connected thereto,

discharge and means connecting said wings for simultaneously incliningthem toward either side of the path of the vehicle to direct thedischarge.

3. The combination, of a vehicle frame with a load-gathering fixturecarried at the forward end and a frame for an endless belt conveyorextending fore and aft of the vehicle and suspended thereon by hangersadapted to swing fore and at of the vehicle together with a strut'projecting forwardly from the vehicle VJframe for engagement with theforward end of the conveyor framewfor transmitting the pushing force ofthe vehicle directly thereto. d j

4. In the combination defined in claim 3, said load-gathering ixturebeing supported the forward end of the conveyor frame.

5. In the combination defined in claim 3, said strut being pivotallyattached to the vehicle frame an to the conveyor frame and means forvertically adjusting said conveyor frame up on its hangers.

6. In combination a vehicle and an endless belt conveyor mounted in anin lined position thereon, said conveyor including a frame; meansbywhich the forward end of the conveyor frame is adjustably supportedupon the vehicle and a ulcrum'ior 'said conveyor frame rearward lofsaidy adjustable support and movable ore and aft with respect to thevehicle `frame together with a thrust bar pivotally attached at one endto the lower part of otally connected at the other end to ward end ofthe conveyor frame.

7 In the combination a power plant on the vehicle with a drive a drivenwheel associated with the conveyon belt at one end of the conveyor frameand a drive' chain connecting said wheel with the drive wheel on thevehicle vtogether with an idler for said chain mounted for movement oreand att on the vehicle trame-and means connecting its mounting with theconveyor frame to eect such fore and aft movement as the nlcrum of theconveyor'frame shifts upon thejvehicle. e

8. In the combination defined-in claim 6, a power plant on the vehiclewith a drive wheel connected thereto, a driven wheel associated with theconveyor belt at the upper end of the conveyor frame and a drive chainthe forthe vehicle frame and p1v defined in claim 6,l

connecting said wheel with the drive wheel on the vehicle together withatake-up idler for said chain mounted on a swinging arm fulcrumed on thevehicle with. a link connecting the conveyor frame with said arm iforshifting the take-up wheel in proportion veyor frame upon its supportinglinks.

9'. In the combination of a vehicle with a pair of plows carried at theforwardY end, spaced apart and formed to deflect material toward eachother into the path of advance -o the vehicle, and an endless conveyormounted on the vehicle in an inclined osition with its lower end arraned to pic up said material from between t e plowe, said plows beingrigidly connected together by a transversely extending bottom plate toorm a scoop adjacent the lower end of the conveyor, said bottom p latebeing spaced away rom the lower end of the conveyor to form a receivingboot and a bottom plate for said boot supportedl on the conveyor frameindependently of the'bottom of the scoop.

10. In combination a vehicle with aloadgathering fixture carried at theforward end and an endless belt conveyor mounted on the vehicle inposition to receive said material and transfer it rearwardly fordischarge, the conveyor belt comprising a widt of belting of flexiblematerial withmarginal drive chains secured thereto, a frame-sup-Vporting said conveyor and lower longitudinal railsV at each side, saidrails being of angular 'cross-section, each having a aaige extendingvertically and a liange extending transversely thereof with the verticalianges spaced apart to receive the conveyor belt between them and thehorizontal anges extendin inwardl to rsupport the chains of said elt intv eir travel.I

to the longitudinal movement of the con- 11. In the combination definedclaim 10, 4

side boards on the conveyor frame extending vertically at the marginsofthe belt to retain material thereon and disposed chains overhangrectlyabove said marginal ing' them. In testimon hereof, 'I have hereunto setmy hand at' cago, Illinois,

this 5th day of January, 1921. f

"i BER.

belt including upper

